


A Proper Girl

by Penthesilea1623



Series: Battle Maiden [2]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Bryce Cousland is the best dad, Growing Pains, Nell's at that awkward age, and Thomas Howe is a jerk, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 07:04:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16849390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penthesilea1623/pseuds/Penthesilea1623
Summary: Even at thirteen Nell Cousland is an impressive warrior. After she beats Thomas Howe in a sparring match he has some less than flattering things to say, and, as Eleanor is away it's up to Bryce to convince Nell that there's nothing improper or unfeminine about her skill.From a prompt on tumblr: Nell Cousland and history





	A Proper Girl

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after the events of "The Perfect Teyrna", when Nell is thirteen.

“Father.”

Bryce looked up from his correspondence to find Fergus standing in the doorway looking grim. At his father’s questioning glance he simply said. “Nell and Thomas.”

“What, again?" Bryce said getting to his feet. "I thought we’d made it clear that no matter how much he provoked her she wasn’t to respond.”

“Apparently the provocation was too much this time." Fergus said with a shrug and a half smile that let his father know he approved of his sister’s actions.

They went quickly down to the training ground. The two culprits had been separated. Thomas’ nose was clearly broken, and a tooth had been knocked out. Esmond, their healer, was examining him, and Thomas was howling in a way quite unsuited to the son of an arl and a boy of twelve.

Bryce turned to his daughter. Her lip was split and she had the beginnings of what promised to be a spectacular black eye. 

She looked up at him and her expression was so miserable that he was hard pressed not to forgive her right there. Young Gilmore, as always was by her side and came to her defense.

"It wasn’t her fault, my lord. She and Thomas were sparring and she beat him easily. He said she cheated, that she didn’t fight fair. She was walking away from him and then he said…”

Nell interrupted him. “He said that no real girl should want to fight. He said I shouldn’t be training, that I shouldn’t want to train, that if I was a proper girl I wouldn’t want to ‘play the man’ and that maybe I wasn’t a proper girl at all. That maybe…” Her voice trailed off and she blushed a dark red staining her cheeks.

Bryce frowned. “Maybe?” He prompted.

Nell wouldn’t look at him. “That maybe I was some kind of freak and not a girl at all. That I didn’t have the right.. parts.” Her cheeks turned even darker and glancing at Roderick Gilmore, Bryce suspected that Thomas’ insult had been far more graphic. ”I tried to walk away, Dada, I did, but when he said that…I’m not a freak.” She said low, and to his surprise she sounded close to tears. He hadn’t seen Nell cry for years.

“I see." He wished Eleanor were back from Denerim. Who better to explain about being a woman who fights, then one who had? And suddenly he knew what to do. "Esmond’s looked at your injuries?" He asked.

She nodded. “He said Thomas’ were worse so he’d heal those first.”

"Very well. Come with me then please.” He walked back towards the castle without looking behind him, knowing she would follow. 

He led her not to his study as she’d expected, but to their library. She watched as he pulled several volumes off the shelves.

He opened one and point to a passage. “Haelia Cousland. Drove the werewolves from Highever, earning us the title of Teyrn.” He flipped open the next book. “Elethea Cousland. Fought against King Calenhad trying to maintain Highever’s independence. When she was defeated she swore fealty to Calenhad and in return was allowed to keep the teyrnir and her title.” He opened a more recent book. “Queen Moira, who inspired and led the rebellion against the Orlesians.” He flipped several pages forward. “And Queen Rowan who led her own cavalry and different times during the war saved the lives of both Teryn Loghain and King Maric. Ferelden’s women have a long history of fighting alongside their men.” He let the information sink in for a few minutes. “Were any of these women less than female?” He asked her.

She shook her head. “No.”

“And then there’s your mother. Would you ever accuse her of being unfeminine?”

“Of course not!" Nell sounded outraged by the idea of it. She hesitated and in a smaller voice added. "But I don’t look like her. She’s graceful and delicate and dainty. I’m this hulking thing.”

Bryce couldn’t help laughing. “Oh, my darling girl, you couldn’t be more wrong. You are just as beautiful as your mother, just in a different way. Yes, you are tall, and you’ll probably grow taller yet, but you have every bit as much grace as your mother. And you are strong, but it’s that strength that gives you your skill with a sword. It’s that strength, not only of body, but of mind that makes people look to you for guidance even at your young age.” He took a moment to look at her, the clear blue eyes, the wide full mouth that smiled so easily, the warm peachy skin, tan from training outside, the thick, wavy brown hair with the streaks of gold it always got in summer. His daughter was beautiful, strong and so alive that she drew people to her like planets orbiting a sun. He would be hard pressed to keep the suitors at bay in a few years. “So pup, let’s have no more listening to anything Thomas Howe has to say on the subject, agreed?”

She flung her arms around his waist. “I love you, Dada.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I love you too, pup. Now let’s get Esmond to take a look at those bruises.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've got some inspiration photos and such relating to Battle Maiden on my tumblr. You can link directly to them here:  
> [Battle Maiden photo/style references](http://penthesilea1623.tumblr.com/search/battle+maiden)


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